Guilford College's First African-American Student Shares Story

Greensboro, NC -- In 1962, Guilford College opened their doors to everyone. Tuesday night, Guilford College's first African-American student, James McCorkle shared his story at the university.

McCorkle spoke of how other students treated him, he said, "It came two ways there were people who were openly accepting -- they would be smiling and so forth and speak and then there were those that didn't see you. You were just invisible. They would walk by and had their head hung down or something of that nature."

He also spoke on the legacy that he left -- even though it may not have been on purpose. "When I see all the things that have happened and all the people that have gone through after me, I really wasn't aware, and hadn't been aware, of the history of it -- that black students that came to Guilford after me and what I am learning now, its really making me feel good."

He said he still feels a connection to the campus, even though his experience may not have been 'normal.' "Its like it was my campus, even though didn't have perhaps some of the relationships and some of the things that my friends had happen and the campus that they were apart of, I still had that affinity toward that. This was my dorm, so it makes me feel good. It's like a homecoming."